As we continue to attend school or work from home, many of us are nesting in place and going on house and yard improvement jags that include more earth-friendly actions (especially during the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge!). But what about eco-friendly self-care? Here are a few ways to practice sustainable personal hygiene. It’s good for your body and good for the planet! Be sure to check back for an article on sustainable sex during the Valentine’s Day month of February 2021!
Feminine Hygiene Products
Menstrual Cups
The average woman uses 300 pounds of disposable period products (tampons and pads) in her lifetime. Environmental alternatives have become available, such as insertable reusable flexible cups that catch and collect menstrual flow. One of the better-known brands, the Diva Cup, is made of 100% medical grade silicone and is BPA free, with no chemicals, plastics, or dyes. You empty and wash the cup 2-3 times daily. It provides up to 12 hours of protection, comes in three sizes, and can be used for one year before replacing, so it’s both eco-friendly and cost effective (around $40). You can buy menstrual cups online or at your local drugstore. To learn more and compare various brands, GO HERE.
Organic tampons
Those who aren’t comfortable with inserting a device can still be eco-friendly. Check out companies like Cora, Lola, and Natracare, which make both BPA-free applicators and applicator-free tampons using organic, bleach-free, and plastic-free cotton. They offer “no strings attached” subscriptions that deliver monthly kits. They also sell “menstrual underwear” that is used as back up for leaks from tampons, cups, and pads.
Giving Back
Companies like Cora go the extra mile by partnering with organizations that help adolescent girls stay in school during their periods and provide reproductive health education and menstrual hygiene products to girls in developing countries. According to Cora.com, 300 million girls and women use rags, plastics, sand, and ash to manage their periods. One in four girls in India drops out of school after reaching puberty. 70% of Indian girls and women cannot afford menstrual supplies. But when girls have access to menstrual supplies, the dropout rate decreases by 90%. Cora’s products use certified organic cotton and are guaranteed to be ethically sourced, free of pesticides, and made without child labor. Another company, Natracare, donates 1% of their profits to environmental causes, including the Marine Conservation Society and the Plastic Pollution Coalition, among others.
Toilet paper
According to HelloTushy.com, one roll of their 100% bamboo toilet paper takes only 0.59 gallons of water, compared to 37 gallons of conventional toilet paper, and they don’t use chlorine, chlorine dioxide, bleach, or any emulsifying agents. Because the bamboo they use grows 39 inches in one day, their toilet paper is way more sustainable than TP made from virgin wood from trees, and it is 100% biodegradable, so it’s even safe for septic tanks. Bamboo plants also absorb 35% more carbon dioxide than other plants. Who Gives A Crap Toilet Paper (which costs about a dollar per roll) gives 50% of their profits to WaterAid to build toilets and improve sanitation in developing countries.
Another company, HeyBippy.com, has the tagline “Save Trees With Your Butt” and claims you can save about 36 pounds of trees per box. Their 3-ply, 250 sheets per double roll are super soft, lint-free, and durable for “even the most epic wipes.” Their website explains that bamboo is hypo-allergenic and sustainable, coming from FSC-certified bamboo farms in China “where bamboo grows wild without the use of pesticides or fertilizer.” For an alternate view, CHECK THIS and to compare reviews on different brands, GO HERE.
A gentle reminder: By now, most of us know that personal wipes are one-use wonders that don’t degrade properly and clog sewer systems when flushed. This goes for disposable make-up cleansing wipes and those super popular facemask sheets as well.
Bidets
If you’ve traveled abroad, you’ve probably come across bidets, which have been around for ages. Bidets are found stateside as well and are gaining in popularity. There’s no delicate way to put it: bidets may look like toilets but they spray water on your private parts and may even gently blow dry them as well. According to this Scientific American article, making the switch to bidets could save 15 million trees used to make toilet paper.
Soap and Shampoo
The problem with plastic
Shower stalls and bathroom cabinets are full of water and energy hogs. According to Health.com, liquid products like traditional hand soaps, shampoos, and other toiletry items contain almost 90% water, but even worse, they are packaged in plastic that takes forever to biodegrade. Rates vary, but some experts say it takes up to 1,000 years for plastic to decompose! Unfortunately, it’s more accurate to say that plastic never fully degrades but rather just breaks down into smaller pieces. Scientist Ellen MacArthur predicts there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by the year 2050.
To complicate matters, caps, pumps, and nozzles on toiletry products contain a variety of materials such as metal springs, which makes them hard to recycle, so these inevitably wind up in landfill. While companies such as Terracycle have recycling mail-in programs free of charge, these require shipping your items, which may be impractical depending on your level of commitment (plus, it’s not carbon-free).
Sensational solids and remarkable refillables
A more sustainable alternative to bottled products is solid bar soap – and not just for hands! There are many upscale solid bar shampoos and conditioners on the market these days, and the solid form is compact and perfect for traveling. Companies like HiBAR (HelloHiBar.com) offer salon-quality products that last as long as a 16-ounce bottle of liquid shampoo but with zero plastic in shipping or packaging. Ethique is another company that makes facial serums, hair products, and body moisturizers in solid bar form. And almost 35% of cosmetics from the popular brand Lush are package free.
L’Oreal’s plant-based line Seed Phytonutrients uses shower safe paper bottle shampoos and conditioners that contain thin inner liners made of recycled plastic – that’s 70% less plastic than standard bottles.
Some stores now offer refillable items, where you make an initial bottle purchase, fill it up from a larger on-tap store container, and bring the empty bottle back for a refill when you’re done. There are online versions of this service as well.
Shaving
According to ecoroots.us, 10 billion single-use plastic razors are thrown away every year. Some shavers go retro and replace their disposable razors with classic razors, swapping out cartridges as needed. Braver souls may use straight edge razors without plastic safety guards. As for shaving cream, unwrappedlife.com claims just one of their solid vegan body + shave bars ($10 – 14) replaces three canisters of shaving cream, which has “diverted 85,000 canisters and/or body wash bottles from landfill.” They also sell washable organic bamboo rounds ($17 for a pack of seven), which replace traditional cotton balls and pads.
Toothbrushes
“One billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown away in the USA every year, creating 50 million pounds of waste,” according to ecoroots.us. A more sustainable alternative is toothbrushes made of compostable bamboo handles. If you buy a brand that has nylon bristles instead of boar's hair or other biodegradable materials, the bristles are not recyclable and should go in the trash. (You can remove them with tweezers or break off the head.) Here are some options for bamboo toothbrushes.
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Today there are more environmentally friendly options than ever. Healthy and sustainable changes don’t have to be all or nothing, and you don’t need to be a hardcore 100% zero waste warrior to make a difference. Even one new green action in your "toilette" routine can make a positive impact!
Photo by Taylor Gregory on Unsplash.com
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